Window-blind fastener.



No. 693,726. Patented Feb. l8, I902.

W. MARTIN. WINDOW BLIND FASTENER.

(Application filed June 1, 1901.) N u M 0 d e l llwi'rn Sterne ATENT Enron.

IVILLIAM MARTIN, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDIVARD J. SIVEENEY AND MICHAEL COUGIILIN, OF SALEM, MASSA- CHUSETTS.

WENDOW=BLIND FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 693,726, dated February 18, 1902.

Application filed June 1, 1901.

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MARTIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salem, in the county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in lVindow-Blind Fasteners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The object of the invention is to produce a simple, inexpensive, and durable windowblind fastening requiring no special skill and but a trifle of labor in applying the same, which shall be efficient in use and free from drawbacks and disadvantages which are in-'.

cident to various forms of fastening devices at the present time in use.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a View showing in elevation portions of a window-casing and a blind applied thereto, with one embodiment of my invention, a small part of the lower cross-bar of the blind being broken out for the purpose of illustrating features that otherwise would be hidden. Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section on the plane indicated by the dotted line 2 2, Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 3 shows in vertical section and in elevation one of the eyepieces of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the stop and retainer. Fig. 5 is an elevation similar to Fig. 1, but showing another embodiment of the invention.

Having reference to the drawings, 1 designates a window-casing, 2 a sill, and 3 a blind, hinged in the usual manner at 32 to the said casing.

My improved fastening device usually is applied in connection with the lower crossbar 31 of the blind and preferably is arranged below said cross-piece, between the latter and the sill 2.

My invention comprises, essentially, a weighted or gravitating pivoted latch-lever, extending lengthwise of the lower cross-bar 31 of the blind and cooperating with a combined stop and retainer applied to the sill 2. The gravitatin g lever a is connected with the Serial No. 62,752. (No model.)

lower cross-bar 31 by means of an eyepiece 4, having a shank 5, which is driven upwardly into the under side of the cross-bar 31. The gravitating lever a fits at one end thereof within the eye 41 of the said eyepiece and is notched at its under side at a to fit the lower end 42 of the said eye, whereby displacement of the lever relative to the eye is prevented. The upper portion a of the lever within the eye is rounded, so as to permit free rocking movement of the lever, it being of a height to serve by its contact with the upper part of the eye to prevent the lever from unseating itself. A second eye or guide 6 is employed in connection with the lever adjacent the free extremity of the latter,which is shaped suitably, as at 7, to receive the finger of the hand by means of which the lever is manipulated. The combined stop and retainer b, applied to the sill for engagement by the lever, has the notch 8, into which the lever enters to lock the blind in its closed position, as in Fig. 2, the bevel 9, against which the lever strikes in the closing movement of the blind and up which thelever rides just before dropping into the said notch, and the back-stop 10, against which the lever strikes for the purpose of limiting the closing movement of the blind. The dropping of the lever may be lim ited either by the eye or guide 6, adjacent the free extremity of the lever, or by the contact of the upturned tail 91 of the lever with the cross-bar of the blind.

In some cases the gravitating tendency of the lever may be aided by the action of a spring. Thus in one form of the invention (see Fig. 1) a spring, as 11, is employed in connection with the tail of the lever. The spring may be employed to act elsewhere than on the tail; but the advantage in applying the same to the tail is that I am enabled by extending the tail upward into a hole 0, formed upwardly in the cross-bar of the blind, to locate the spring in the said hole, also, so as thereby to house and shield the said spring, thereby concealing and protecting the same. In the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1 the tail of the lever is provided with a downward extension fitting within the coil of the spring,

.which latter rests against the plate (Z, that is comprising, essentially, the eyepiece adapted to constitute a pivotal support, the lever fitting within and filling the eye, having the notch or seat engaging the eyepiece to prevent displacement, and adapted to extend lengthwise of the lower cross-bar of the blind, the spring acting upon said lever, and the combined stop and retainer, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 25 in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM MARTIN. \Vitnesses:

CHAS. F. RANDALL, MIcHAEL COUGHLIN. 

